Drive mechanism for balancing machine

Claim 2

In a balancing machine wherein a part to be balanced is rotatably supported by a pair of hoRizontally spaced apart carriers, a drive mechanism for rotating said part comprising a radial drive arm mounted on said machine for pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane and adapted to move from a raised position to an operative position relative to said part, a drive belt, drive means carried on said drive arm and drivingly engaged with said belt, and belt support means carried on said drive arm and operatively disposed on said drive arm so as to carry said belt in engagement with said part when said drive arm is in said operative position.

Claim 3

The balancing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said belt support means comprises a pair of spaced apart roller support members depending downwardly from said drive arm and being spaced apart radially of said drive arm so as to be adapted to be disposed at opposite sides of said part when said drive arm is in said operative position, first roller means mounted on a lower end of a first one of said support members, second roller means mounted on a lower end of a second one of said support members, said belt having a first run passing under said first roller means and running from said first roller means in a vertically upward direction, over said part, and then vertically downwardly and under said second roller means when said drive arm is in its operative position and said belt engages said part.

Claim 4

The drive mechanism set forth in claim 2 wherein said support members are pivotally mounted on said drive arm, first locking means operatively engaging said drive arm and said first support member to selectively lock said first support member in a selected pivoted position relative to said arm, and second locking means operatively engaging said drive arm and said second support member to selectively lock said second pulley support member in a selected pivoted position relative to said drive arm.

Claim 5

The balancing machine set forth in claim 3 wherein said drive arm is horizontal in said operative position, said belt has a second run extending generally horizontally from said drive means above said part and around third roller means, and said belt support means includes means for varying the length of said horizontal run.

Claim 6

The balancing machine set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for varying the length of said horizontal run includes third roller means adjustably mounted on said drive arm for movement toward and away from said drive means in a generally horizontal direction when said drive arm is in said operative position to vary the length of said second belt run.

Claim 7

The balancing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said belt support means is arranged and disposed on said drive arm so that when said arm is in its operative position said belt has a first generally horizontal run extending outwardly from said drive means and above said part to first roller means carried on said drive arm, a second belt run from said first roller means to a second roller means carried on said drive arm, said second run extending in a direction generally back toward said drive means, a third run extending generally vertically downwardly from said second roller means to a third roller means carried on said drive arm, a fourth run from said third roller means extending vertically upwardly and over said part and then vertically downwardly to fourth roller means carried on said drive arm, a fifth run from said fourth roller means to fifth roller means carried on said arm, said fourth run extending in a direction generally toward said drive means, and a sixth run from said fifth roller means back to said drive means.

Claim 8

The balancing machine set forth in claim 6 wherein said belt support means further comprises means for varying the length of at least one of said runs other than said fourth run to compensate for variations in the length of said fourth run.

Claim 9

The balancing machine set forth in claim 7 wherein said belt support means further comprises means for selectively adjusting the direction of said third and said fifth rUns to thereby orient said fourth run with vertically directed portions between said third roller means and said part and between said part and said fourth roller means.

Claim 10

The balancing machine set forth in claim 7 wherein said belt support means comprises a pair of secondary arms pivotally mounted on said drive arm and depending downwardly therefrom so as to be disposed at opposite sides of said part, one of said secondary arms being pivoted on said drive arm at a first pivot axis, the other one of said secondary arms being pivoted on said drive arm at a second pivot axis, said third roller means is rotatably carried on a lower end of said one secondary arm, and said fourth roller means is rotatably carried on a lower end of said other secondary arm so that the direction of said third and said fifth runs can be selectively adjusted by pivoting said first and said second arms on said first and said second axes.

Claim 11

The balancing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive arm pivots in said vertical plane about a horizontal axis, said drive means comprises a motor mounted directly on said drive arm radially outwardly of said axis, and the weight of said motor and the location of said motor on said arm are selected so as to maintain said arm in its raised position when said arm is pivoted about said axis in one direction and maintain said belt in driving relationship with said part when said arm is pivoted about said axis in the opposite direction to said operative position.

Claim 12

The balancing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism further comprises means for selectively adjusting the position of said drive arm horizontally along said axis.

Claim 13

In combination a part to be balanced and a balancing machine for balancing said part, said part having a circumferential portion adapted to be driven to rotate said part during a balancing operation and wherein said balancing machine comprises a pair of horizontally spaced apart carriers supporting said part for rotation on a first generally horizontal axis, a drive arm mounted on said machine for pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane about a second generally horizontal axis, said drive arm extending radially outwardly from said second horizontal axis above said first horizontal axis and beyond said part, a drive belt, a motor mounted on said arm above said second horizontal axis, said belt being drivingly engaged with said motor, and belt support means carried on said drive arm and operatively disposed thereon so as to carry said belt in engagement with said part.

Claim 14

In combination a part to be balanced and a balancing machine for balancing said part, said part having a circumferential portion adapted to be driven to rotate said part during a balancing operation and wherein said balancing machine comprises a pair of horizontally spaced apart carriers supporting said part for rotation on a first generally horizontal axis, a drive arm mounted on said machine for pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane about a second generally horizontal axis, said drive arm extending radially outwardly from said second horizontal axis above said first horizontal axis and beyond said part, a drive belt, a motor mounted on said arm above said second horizontal axis, said belt being drivingly engaged with said motor, and belt support means carried on said drive arm and operatively disposed thereon so as to carry said belt in engagement with said part.

Claim 15

In a balancing machine wherein a part to be balanced is rotatably supported by a pair of horizontally spaced apart carriers and is adapted to be driven by a belt carried on a drive arm disposed above said part, a pair of secondary arms pivotally mounted on said drive arm and depending downwardly therefrom so as to be disposed at opposite sides of said part, one of said secondary arms being pivoted on said drive arm at a first pivot axis, the other one of said secondary arms being pivoted on said drive arm at a second pivot axis, first roller means carried on a lower end of said one secondary arm, second roller means carried on a lower end of said other secondary arm, and a run of said belt passing under said first roller means, then over said part and then under said second roller means so that the direction of said run between said first roller and said part and between said part and said second roller can be set to vertical by pivoting said arms.

Claim 16

In a balancing machine wherein a part to be balanced is rotatably supported by a pair of horizontally spaced apart carriers and is adapted to be driven by a belt carried on a drive arm disposed above said part, a pair of secondary arms pivotally mounted on said drive arm and depending downwardly therefrom so as to be disposed at opposite sides of said part, one of said secondary arms being pivoted on said drive arm at a first pivot axis, the other one of said secondary arms being pivoted on said drive arm at a second pivot axis, first roller means carried on a lower end of said one secondary arm, second roller means carried on a lower end of said other secondary arm, and a run of said belt passing under said first roller means, then over said part and then under said second roller means so that the direction of said run between said first roller and said part and between said part and said second roller can be set to vertical by pivoting said arms.